As any owner can tell you, living with a dog is messy…and stressful. They shed, slobber, bring mud into the house, and
have a penchant to eat all kinds of things they shouldn’t. As much as the loveable mutts make a wonderful addition to
the family, it can still be a real chore to keep them healthy, safe, and clean.
One of the biggest factors in ensuring a happy dog is to allow them sufficient outdoor exercise time. While this
exercise should include extended walks and/or free running time outside of the home environment, most dogs’ general
outdoor time takes place right in the back yard. To this end, natural lawns are great for offering fur babies space to
run, roll, and play, but they also come with a number of hazards.
For one, natural lawns increase the risk of attracting fleas or ticks. Dangerous and potentially poisonous plants can
also grow in natural grass, and if a dog ingests these, there can be serious health consequences.
On a more superficial level, urine burn can cause patchy stains that reduce a natural lawn’s aesthetic appeal; not to
mention the mud that dogs inevitably traipse into the home after playing outside. And if grass grows too long, there’s
the added risk of accidently missing a ‘number two’ lurking about.
Thankfully, synthetic grass has come a long way since its inception, with the newest versions having as close-to-natural
a look and feel as possible. Since artificial grass is laid over compact soil, it also significantly reduces the
possibility of dangerous plants or insects from growing or living in it. This grass is easy to clean and does not retain
any foul odours. Companies like SmartGrass even offer artificial grass options specifically designed to suit pets, making the transition from natural to
artificial seamless for both owner and dog.